


If Only I Could Read The Signs In Front Of Me

by Coffee_Punk



Series: 30 LGBTQ+ Riordanverse One-Shots [2]
Category: Percy Jackson and the Olympians - Rick Riordan
Genre: Book 4: The Battle of the Labyrinth (Percy Jackson), I hate it, I hate this ship so much, Internalized Homophobia, Kissing, M/M, Secret Crush, Why Did I Write This?
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-02
Updated: 2020-07-02
Packaged: 2021-03-04 18:27:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,717
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25030921
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Coffee_Punk/pseuds/Coffee_Punk
Summary: Percy and Nico are keeping watch while the girls sleep. The Labyrinth is a terrifying place but maybe it won't be with a little company. Too bad Percy is an oblivious idiot.
Relationships: Nico di Angelo/Percy Jackson
Series: 30 LGBTQ+ Riordanverse One-Shots [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1812673
Comments: 3
Kudos: 77





	If Only I Could Read The Signs In Front Of Me

**Author's Note:**

  * For [chronch](https://archiveofourown.org/users/chronch/gifts).



> LET'S GET ONE THING STRAIGHT
> 
> I personally HATE this ship with a FIERY passion. But Percico is a sort of popular LGBTQ+ ship. And OHANA MEANS FAMILY AND FAMILY MEANS NO ONE GETS LEFT BEHIND.
> 
> But don't get me wrong. I hate this.

It was dark. Dark and damp. But they had to stay here until we were rested up and ready to go. Who knows how long one night in the labyrinth could be. But he couldn’t worry about that now, he had to keep watch for monsters while Annabeth and Rachel slept. 

The worst part? He was stuck on watch duty with Nico di Angelo. Possibly the only person alive who hates him more than the gods. Why does he hate him? Well, it’s for a pretty valid reason, he had gotten his sister Bianca killed. 

“Okay I can’t stand this silence anymore can you say something?” Nico said softly, his quiet voice echoing through the dark corridor of the Labyrinth.

“Well I mean I’m not really good at small talk”

“What and you think that I am?” He has a point. But what the Hades do you say to a kid who’s been living on the streets since his sister died?  _ ‘Hey did you catch the newest episode of Doctor Who? Oh wait you were living on the streets with a creepy old ghost watching your every move’ _

“Oh uh, yeah… sorry about that,” Way to go Percy, you just made it even more awkward, “So uh, have you done anything fun recently?” There you go ask a question that isn’t too specific and can be qualified as normal. Good job Percy.

“Nothing really.”

Oh great. Why didn’t you take into account that Nico was still recovering from Bianca? Now you sound like an idiot, well, more than usual. Ugh, why is conversationing so gods dam hard? 

“Oh sorry, um, I like your jacket! Where’d you get it?” Ooh, nice job! Complimenting him and asking a question! There is definitely no way this one can backfire on me.

“I got it while searching through a lost and found. It was pretty cold and I was freezing,” Nico replied.

Gods  _ dam _ it, you suck at this Percy. What is  _ wrong _ with you? He’s been living on the streets, he’s not going to have gotten it from the Target across the street. Annabeth is right you are a seaweed brain. 

“Are you gonna say anything worthwhile or are just gonna sit here in silence like before,” Nico asked, “Cause if not I might just pull my hair out.” Oh geez, now he was glaring at him. Nico’s glare had gotten a lot scarier. But gods dammit why did he hate him so much. Nico had known that quests were dangerous and that Percy couldn’t promise that he would be able to keep Bianca safe. And sure it may be a little bit his fault but it’s not he killed her himself. 

“Gods dam it, Nico. why do you hate me so much?!” Oh no, he was not supposed to say that, “It’s not like  _ I _ killed Bianca,” Shut up shut up shut up, “I understand you being upset with me but you treat me like I’m a piece of crap! Why the Hades do you hate me so much?” 

Nico hadn’t said anything yet. He was just looking at Percy with wide eyes, his lips parted a little bit. 

“I mean--honestly! I really don’t understand why you hate me so much!” He rambled on with arms falling around like some sort of madman, “Back at Geryon’s place you either told me you didn’t want to talk to me or completely ignored me!” For some reason, he couldn’t seem to shut up, “Maybe you’re just--like jealous of me for some reason! Maybe because you like Annabeth and you think that we like each other!! But we don’t! So if you have a crush on her I don’t have a problem with-”

He was cut off by Nico grabbing the front of his shirt and pressing his lips to his. Holy Hera. Nico was kissing him. Nico  _ di Angelo _ was kissing him. He was so shocked that he kind of just stood there with Nico’s lips on his. 

And as soon as it had started it stopped, Nico pulled away. Percy stood there shocked, looking at Nico with wide eyes and a gaping mouth. Nico turned around and sat on his knees with his hands tangled up in his hair pulling at it. That snapped Percy out of it, he didn’t want Nico to hurt himself.

“Hey- wait Nico stop, you’re going to hurt yourself,” he said. He rushed over to where Nico sat shaking. “Please stop you’re going to hurt yourself”

Nico’s head snapped up. He had tears pouring down his face and a terrified look in his eye like a cornered animal. He scrambled away from him, pressing his back against the wall, breathing fast. 

“Nico calm down I’m not going to hurt you,” He said hoping that it would calm him down a bit. Nico looked at him with fear written all over his face.

“Y-you’re not?” And if Percy’s heart didn’t just  _ break _ at that. 

“No, I’m not.”

\--

It took about five minutes to calm him down. Nico sat next to Percy with his knees to his chest, chin in his arms. 

_ “ _ So, do you want to tell me what that was all about?” he said, hoping the break the awkward silence that had invaded the corridor again.

“I’m sorry.” Woah those were not the words he had expected to come out of Nico’s mouth. “I know I shouldn’t have kissed you but just kept on rambling about I ‘hated you’” 

“So you don’t hate me?” Percy asked. 

“No, I don’t I just- Ugh I don’t know how to say this,” he stammered, his face turning red

“Hey, it’s okay, take your time. You don’t need to rush,” Percy said to the blushing boy.

“Okay just um, hmm how do I say this, I-I’ve had a crush on you since you saved Bianca and me back at Westover Hall,” he managed to get out, “And I know I know its wrong and I’m sorry just please  _ please _ don’t call the cops on me. I don’t want to get sent to the looney bin.”

“You… have a crush on  _ me _ ,” Percy said like the kelp head he is. Nico nodded before putting his head into his arms to hide his face. “But… why me?”

“What do you mean why you? You’re amazing. You saved Bianca and me on the cliff. You were the first hero I ever saw. And not to mention you look  _ really _ good”

Well then. This was not how Percy had expected his night to go.

“Hang on a sec why would I call the cops on you?” He asked, “And what do you mean by getting thrown in the Looney Bin”

Nico seemed surprised at the question, “Well isn’t being gay like, illegal?” he asked, “When I was younger if you were caught kissing a man or something like that you would get tossed in an asylum” 

Oh right. Nico had grown up in the thirties. More than three decades before Stonewall. And given that he hasn’t been educated on modern life he probably assumed that it was still illegal.

“Nico being gay isn’t illegal any more”

Nico’s head snapped up, ‘It isn’t?” he asked incredulously as if he couldn’t believe it.

“No Nico it isn’t. In fact, June is pride month! And there are plenty of celebrations during that including pride parades!”

Nico sat in silence taking in all of this new information. The look on his face was adorable. His face was all scrunched up and he looked absolutely adorable. Percy couldn’t help but stare at him. He can’t believe that he didn’t notice how beautiful Nico looked before. With his silky black hair, smooth skin, and soft features he looked almost angelic.

“So can we get back to the liking you part?” Nico said interrupting his thoughts and bringing him back to the present. “Unless you want to forget that it happened, because if so that’s totally fine with me,” he stammered.

“Nico I’m going to tell you something that only you can hear okay?” Nico nodded and Percy leaned in to whisper in his ear, “I like you too.”

Nico looked up at Percy in shock, “Do you really mean that?” he asked softly. 

“Yes, yes I do Nico.”

Nico stared at Percy with so much emotion that Percy couldn’t understand half of it. He was relieved and excited and happy and there was something else in his eyes that Percy didn’t quite know what to call it. But it was there and it was beautiful.

Without knowing it they had both started to lean in. Percy’s sea-green eyes slipped closed as the black-haired boy moved closer. Lips pressed against each other softly. It was the best thing Percy had ever done. 

Their lips moved against each other slowly. They fit together perfectly as if they were meant to be together. Nico’s hand moved up to Percy’s hair and tangled itself in it while the other made it’s way up to his face and he cupped his cheek softly as they kissed. Percy felt dumb not knowing where to put his hands. He decided on one in Nico’s hair and one of the back of his neck. 

This felt so right. Nico’s lips felt amazing on his and his dark felt so soft in his hands. It was so amazing there was no way to describe it. It felt like it meant to be. Gods he sounded so cheesy but it’s the only way he could describe it. 

Eventually, they pulled away so they could breathe. Nico rested his head against Percy’s chest while he caught his breath. Percy couldn’t believe what had just happened. But he didn’t have time to talk about it with Nico more because it looked like Nico was half asleep.

“Nico why don’t you go to sleep I’ll keep watch until Annabeth and Rachel wake up” he whispered while running his hands through Nico’s hair. Nico nodded slightly before standing up to go lay down next to Annabeth. 

As Nico’s eyes closed Percy pressed a soft kiss to his cheek. And Nico fell asleep.

Feeling satisfied with how the night went he sat down, his back pressed against the wall, and got ready for a long few hours until the girls woke up.

**Author's Note:**

> The title is from If Only by Dove Cameron from Descendants


End file.
